Home inspection in Loretto.

What we see in Loretto homes.

Loretto was founded in 1886 by German and Dutch immigrants and incorporated in 1940. It covers just 0.26 square miles, all land, and is completely surrounded by the rural, agricultural part of Medina. The 2010 census counted 278 housing units and 650 people; in 2020 there were 646 residents. That makes it a compact grid of small-town houses: older homes from the early rail-town decades and the middle of the last century, with a few newer houses and infill. The Delano Public School District serves the city.

Small older houses call for a careful look at what has been changed over the decades. Foundations and crawlspaces for moisture and settling, the original or updated wiring and panel, older plumbing, attic insulation and ventilation, windows and siding are the points that matter. Lots are small, so grading and where downspouts discharge matter. Because the city sits within Medina's agricultural land, we ask about sewer and water service for each address. Hennepin County is EPA Radon Zone 1, and MDH recommends every Minnesota home be tested.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.